African People's Bloc

Last updated
African People's Bloc
Bloc Populaire Africain
AbbreviationBPA
Founder Justin Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin
Émile Poisson
Founded1946
DissolvedJuly 1955
Split from Dahomeyan Progressive Union
Merged into Dahomeyan Democratic Union

The African People's Bloc (French : Bloc Populaire Africain, BPA) was a political party in French Dahomey (now Benin).

History

The party was established in 1946 by Justin Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin and Émile Poisson due to their dissatisfaction with the policies of the Dahomeyan Progressive Union (UPD). [1] In the 1946–47 General Council elections the party won 6 of the 30 seats, finishing second to the Dahomeyan Progressive Union; [2] Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin and Poisson were both elected. The party failed to win a seat in the French National Assembly in the 1951 elections, but won four seats in the 1952 Territorial Assembly elections. [3]

In 1955 the party merged with the UPD to form the Dahomeyan Democratic Union. [4]

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References

  1. Mathurin C Houngnikpo & Samuel Decalo (2012) Historical Dictionary of Benin, Scarecrow Press, p81
  2. Joseph-Roger de Benoist (1982) Afrique Occidentale française de 1944 à 1960, p537
  3. Sternberger, D, Vogel, B, Nohlen, D & Landfried, K (1978) Die Wahl der Parlamente: Band II: Afrika, Ereste Halbband, p530 (in German)
  4. A propos de l’excellente chronique du Professeur Amoussou YEYE, contenu dans lnt La Nouvelle Tribine, 12 June 2009